


Safe and Sound

by Kkane88



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Caretaking, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Sick Character, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:46:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23674084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kkane88/pseuds/Kkane88
Summary: Mitch is sick and Auston takes care of him
Relationships: Mitch Marner/Auston Matthews
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	Safe and Sound

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I've ever written this pairing, so please let me know what you think!

When Mitch went to bed the night before, unusually tired and achy, he had a feeling he was getting sick. He was hoping he was just hockey-tired; this close to playoffs, it's a possibility. But when he wakes up the next morning to a pounding headache and a sore throat his hopes are dashed. He's _so_ glad they have the day off today and he has no reason to pull himself out of bed. He doesn't even pull the blankets off of his head long enough to silence his phone, ringing incessantly on his bedside table. Whoever's trying to call him, he's sure they can wait until tomorrow.

But he would appreciate it if they could _stop_.

After a few more rings the phone goes blessedly silent, and Mitch is finally able to start drifting back to sleep.

And then his bedroom door bangs open and Mitch flails up into a sitting position, only to see Auston standing in his doorway. Right. He forgot. They have plans today. Normally seeing Auston brightens his day, but right now Mitch can't even dredge up a smile. He flops back onto the bed with a groan, rolling onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow.

"Get up, sleepyhead," Auston chirps. "Did you forget about me?" Mitch just groans and he hears Auston walk closer. "Seriously, you don't normally sleep in this late. Why are you still in bed?"

"Shut up," he says, muffled into the pillow. He considers asking Auston to climb into the bed with him so he can snuggle up next to him, but that may be crossing a line. Sometimes Auston gets weird when Mitch gets too cuddly. He wants to ask anyway. Auston is quiet for long enough that Mitch wonders if maybe he left, but then he feels a hand rest on the small of his back, and the bed dip as Auston sits next to him. Mitch turns his head and peeks up at him.

"What's up, Marns?" he asks, softer. He's concerned, and it makes something in Mitch's stomach flutter. He knows Auston cares about him, but he has a hard time showing it sometimes. To hear it so plainly in his voice makes Mitch feel a little better.

"Don't feel very good," Mitch mumbles, eyes slipping closed. Auston's hand moves up and presses against his forehead like he's taking his temperature, and Mitch sighs into the touch. Auston's hand slips through Mitch's hair, but he pulls it back quick like he hadn't meant to do that. Mitch wants to ask him to do it again. He always gets extra cuddly when he's sick, and there's a large part of him that always wants Auston to be touching him anyway.

"What's wrong?" Auston asks, making Mitch groan. He just wants to _sleep_.

"Jus' a cold," he slurs, burying his face back in the pillow.

"Do you want some like, water or something?" Mitch reins in his annoyance because he really does think it's sweet that Auston wants to help and isn't just racing out the door. He's trying to _take care_ of Mitch.

"Water," he agrees with a small nod. Auston gets up and wanders out of the room and Mitch manages to keep his eyes open until he comes back, setting the glass of water on the bedside table. "Thanks," he says, expecting Auston to leave now that he's done something to help. But Auston walks around to the other side of the bed and lays down next to Mitch, pulling out his phone and opening Netflix. "What are you doing?" he asks, suddenly more alert.

"We're supposed to hang out," Auston says, not looking away from his phone. "Don't think you're gonna get out of it just because you're sick."

"I'm not gonna be very much fun," Mitch argues, even though this is exactly what he wanted- Auston in his bed to snuggle with. Not that he thinks there's going to be any snuggling. They hang out on the same bed in hotel rooms sometimes, but _never_ at home, and always with a foot of space between them. Auston just shrugs.

"I'm not gonna bother you. Go to sleep," he demands, but Mitch doesn't think he'll be able to fall asleep _now_. Auston's in his _bed_.

It turns out he's wrong. He lays his head back down facing away from Auston and falls asleep almost before the opening theme of Auston's show is over.

He doesn't know how much later it is when he wakes up again. He feels pleasantly warm and cozy and he doesn't even bother opening his eyes. His pillow seems to be moving- breathing, even- but that doesn't freak him out as much as it should. There's also a hand idly running through his hair.

When he remembers that it's _Auston_ in his bed _, Auston_ that he's using as a pillow _, Auston's_ hand in his hair, well… Mitch is just too comfortable to even have a proper freak out about it. He even lets himself settle more heavily against Auston's chest.

"I know you're awake," Auston mumbles over the low sound coming out of his phone, but he doesn't make any move to dislodge Mitch. Doesn't even move his hand from Mitch's hair.

"Mhm," he hums, turning his face to bury even more of it against Auston's chest. It's nice and comfy. Best pillow ever.

"You should eat something," Auston says. Mitch groans, content to never leave this spot ever again, but his stomach chooses that moment to growl loudly. Auston laughs and gently rolls Mitch off of him. "I'll get us something, alright?"

"No food in the bed," Mitch argues, rolling off his side of the bed and staggering to his feet.

"Hey, no," Auston argues, coming towards him and gripping Mitch by his forearms. "I think you have a fever. You should rest." Mitch just looks at him, and Auston must be able to tell from his face that he's just going to follow him and he sighs. "Fine, but you're going to sit down and let me handle it." That, Mitch can agree to. He follows Auston into the kitchen and sits down at the table, laying his head down and dozing while Auston makes them sandwiches and heats up some canned soup. He's humming while he does it- the theme from the show he was watching- and Mitch is hopelessly endeared.

Even- or especially- when Auston sets a plate and a bowl down in front of Mitch and stands there with his hands on his hips while he wants for Mitch to pick his head up.

"Eat," he demands when Mitch is finally looking at him. He stands there and waits until Mitch takes a bite of the soup, and then heads back to the bedroom, emerging a few seconds later with the water he had brought in earlier, plopping it down in front of Mitch.

They're about halfway done eating when Mitch finally gathers the courage to speak. "Thanks," he says sheepishly, not looking at Auston. A chirp about Auston mother-henning him was on the tip of his tongue, but it didn't seem like the right moment. Auston usually keeps his emotions so close to the chest, and now he's letting Mitch see his concern, and he's going out of his way to stay here and make sure Mitch is taken care of. He likes it and he doesn't want to say anything to make Auston close off again. Auston doesn't answer him, and when Mitch glances up, there's a slight flush to his cheeks like he's embarrassed. Mitch decides not to say anything else about it.

Auston makes him drink the whole glass of water before he's allowed to leave the table, and Mitch goes to the bathroom while Auston cleans up after them. By the time Mitch gets back to the bedroom, Auston's already settled back on the bed with his phone propped up on his chest. Mitch sits down on the side of the bed and then hesitates. He wants nothing more than to crawl right back into Auston's space, but he's not sure if he's welcome and he doesn't want to push his luck. When he looks over at Auston, though, Auston moves his arm, leaving a Mitch-sized space for him to crawl into. He doesn't hesitate after that. He rests his head on Auston's shoulder so he can see the phone, too, even though he can feel his eyelids already starting to droop.

"You know you're my favorite, right?" Mitch says groggily, right as he's on the cusp of sleep. It seems important for Auston to know that. "Like, the best ever."

"You're my favorite, too, Marns," Auston says back. Mitch buries his smile against Auston's shoulder.

"Thanks for taking care of me," he murmurs right as he slips off into sleep.

He doesn't hear Auston's whispered, "I always will."

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr:  
> [kkane88](https://kkane88.tumblr.com/)  
> [kwriteshockey](https://kwriteshockey.tumblr.com//)


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